Combination pliers for twisting wire



Feb. 12, 1946. R. c. ROBINSON COMBINATION PLIERS FOR TwIsT'ING WIRE Filed May 27, 1944 Patented Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED stares .PATENT oFFIlcE vl2 Claims 'This invention relates "to $comb'ina'ti'cn pliers for 4twisting wire.

Among the objects of the invention is to'pro- Vide a tOl fOr rel/ing Wirethrllgh .holes in ydf'such bolts 'and nuts varey int practicallyfinaccessible positions on the assembly,`du'e 13o-intervening parts. Itis lat lpresent a "tedious, `time 'consuming-effort to reeve "the "Wire -`through a Zseries 'of holes l'and then -twis't the :wire ends itogether'for permanence and cto comply with 'safety rules.

Heretoforeit yhas redui're'd from one vandi-'onehalf to two 'hourstois'o wire''thenu'ts@namengine. With 4this invention lit 4is 'po'ssible "to `:do *a betterand safer-operation in about one-third the time.

In the specification and drawing the invention is disclosed in its preferred form. But it is to be understood that it is not limited to this form because it may be embodied in modifications, within the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims following the description.

In the one sheet of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a combination pliers constructed in accordance with this invention, in operative condition, and partially broken away to disclose underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a side view detail of the clamping head, showing the cutters therein, in opposed relation to the similar cutters on the opposite side of the head.

In detail the structure illustrated in the drawing comprises the opposed knurled jaws I, 2, cross plvoted at 3, in the usual manner. The jaws have the meeting cutting edges 4, 5, and the transverse opening 6 between the jaws.

'Ihese crossed J'aws have the extended tubular handles 1, 8, closed at their ends respectively. The handle 1 has the longitudinal slot 9, on its inner side near its end. The handle 8 has the similar slot IU.

The collets II, I2 are attached to the inner side of the handle 8, by the countersunk screws I3, I4, passing therethrough and threaded 'into their respective collets. The guide tube I is fixed in VIAthese vcollets .on 'the longitudinal centerf'between 3. 'The protrudingout'er endofthis/tubehasthe annular ball bearing lI"6 `'fixed lthereto andfhav- 'ing recesses toreceive the loose -ballssuchas I'I therein, on'oppos'ite sidesof the axisof'thesocket. The spiral spindle "18, preferably Aformed o'f a twistefdsquare rod,h'aving=its fluted oppositesides engaging the "balls iII, so vthat -it is caused *to rotate whenfmoved inwardly and/outwardly withinthe'tubetS.

vThe t4balls iI"`I "are Iretained vvin their trespective ing the sleeve I9, that is gained-'into tthe end of' the handle Lso that it Icannot move inwardly.

The inner end of it-he`h spindle iIllis reducedfand utedlstop overhangs the.spiral-flutev in thefspin- 'diameter to r'frititionally 'engage fthe slotted vend of the sleeve at d352-and retain' the spindle-:within the tube I5, when not functioning.

The outer end of the spindle I8 has the knurled head 22, with a shank 23, xed to the end of the spindle by the countersunk set screw 24. The head 22 has the pivot 25, that will rotate in the palm of the hand of the operator when the spindle is forced inwardly through the ball bearing lli-I9.

The latch sleeve 26 is slidable on the tube IB, between the collets Il, I2, and has the projecting pin 21 fixed therein and projecting through the slot IIl, in the handle 8. The expansive spring 28, within the handle 8, expandsI between the screw I3, and the pin 21, to normally hold the sleeve 2B, in against the collet I2. The latch hook 21' extends laterally from the sleeve 26, opposite the pin 21, and enters the slot 9, in the handle 1, and overhangs the end of the slot to latch the two handles 1, 8 in closed position when the sleeve 26 is slid inwardly. This sleeve has the knurled finger grips, such as 29, to provide' better traction when grasped by the lingers of the operator.

The cutting edges 30, 3|, are provided on the opposite side of the plier jaws I, 2, in opposed relation to the similar cutting edges 4, 5, so that wire cutting can be done without reversing the tool. The average length of the combined tool is about twelve inches over al1, However, the

length can be proportioned to the workingV conditions, determined largely by the distance from thecylinder head to the engine base upon which the cylinder is bolted. The tool is less than two inches wide and can be inserted into thenarrowest space encountered on such engines.

The round cylinders of the engine have flanges meeting the polygonal engine base. The base has stud bolts'that pass through the cylinder Iiange and receive nuts bearing against the flange. These stud bolts have transverse holes The handles 1, 8, are then squeezed together to release the hook21' from the slot 9, permitting the'sleeve 26, to bel retracted by the expansion of the spring`28. This frees the jaws I, 2,r

so that the cutters 4, 5, and 38, *3|,y can be used to cut off the excess wire behind the twisted portion, without reversing the pliers, by simply pushing the cutters'forward until the wire ends pro- Y truding through the gap 6, enter between their therethrough, aligningwith radial slots in the l 'tops of'. the castellated nuts; or the transverse hole may pass through both the nut and the bolt, structural conditions permitting.

wire meet andV overlap. The combination pliers` are handy in reeving the wire in spaces too small for the fingers of the operator. The tool weighs less than twelve ounces and is easily manipulated, even by women, as in war time. Y Y

The operation 'of Ytwisting the meeting wire ends consists of overlapping these ends between two bolts, leaving some slack in the wire. The

Aplier jaws I, 2, are then closed over the juncture of the meeting wires, with the wire ends 'pro-Y jecting in opposite directions through the transverse opening or gap 6. Y dlesl 1, 8, are then squeezed together until the Y hook 2'I"enters the slot 9, the sleeve 26, is then pushed inward until the hook engages the Vhandle 1, beyond'the end VofV the slot 9. This securely Vattaches the jaws I, 2, tothe overlapping ends of the wire. 5 Y

The yknurled head 22, is then graspedrby the V free hand of the operator and theV handles 1, 8,

are released. When the head 22, is pulled outward, the spiral spindle I8 causes the rest of the tool to spin around and wind up the crossed .wire.ends. Pressure is then applied to the Vpivot Vend 25, which rotates the spindle through the bearing block I6, until the stop 2|, frictionally engages vthe split end I5 of thetube I5.

The projecting hanrespective-pairs of cutters 4, 5, and 30, 3|, there to be severed close to the end of the twisted portion, by gripping thenhandles 1, 8. In lsevering the ends the tool isimoved. laterally until the Y twisted portion Vis clear of the jaws 4, 5,*and lies in the gap 6,7permitting the cutters 4, 5, andV tively. .Y f

A smaller tool constructed as described, is use- 30, 3l, to meet and sever the wire ends, respecful in twisting wire ends for sealing locks, and

other uses; such as wire hoods on bottles, where itis inconvenient for the operator to neatly twist wire by turning the pliersin thehand with Yeach turn. Y

Having thus described this invention and its mode of operation, what is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A combination tool comprising a pliers head having cross pivoted tubular handles; a tube xed to one of said handles; a sleeve slidable on said tube and having a latch. engaging both'of said handles; a spring within one of said'handles and bearing against said latch; a bearing xed on the outer end of said tube; and a spiral spindle slidable in said bearing and .tube and rotating said head. Y f

2. A combination tool comprising a pliers head having cross pivoted handles; a .tube xed to one of said handles on a centerline between said handles; a sleeve slidable on said tube and having a latch engaging both of said handles; a bearing xed on the .outer end of said tube; opposed balls in recesses'in said bearing, respectively; and a spiral spindle slidable inY said bearing and Vhaving uted grooves engaging said balls.

RALPH C. ROBINSON. 

